Legal Blog - Children

Putting together a Massachusetts parenting plan, formally called a child custody/visitation schedule, can be a very difficult process. There are only so many hours in the day and both parents generally want to spend as much of their free time with their child(ren) as possible. Additionally, both par…

It is important for divorced parents to be aware of the specific challenges and benefits that children of divorced parents experience when applying for financial aid. Families are required to complete a Free Application for Student Aid (FAFSA) when applying for federal subsidized loans and Pell gran…

Child Exemption – IRS form 8332 – During tax season, parents with a Massachusetts child support order frequently ask me whether or not they can claim their child on their taxes. The IRS rule is that the custodial parent has the right to claim the exemption. This is the default rule, but it i…

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The Massachusetts Child Support Guidelines effective January 1, 2009 have supporters and opponents. The payors argue that after payment of child support there is not enough money left for his or her own needs and the payees argue that they need additional money to support the child(ren). For both th…

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While Massachusetts is home to some of the safest cities in the United States, it is not exempt from the ever-growing problem of domestic violence that is plaguing the nation. As domestic violence rates continue to rise, so does the utilization of local domestic violence programs. In 2014, approxima…

From 2010 to 2014, the State of Massachusetts experienced a 30% increase in the number of children who were victims of maltreatment. In the year 2014, the majority of these victims were less than a year old. There is no doubt that the mistreatment of children is a serious problem plaguing Massachuse…

On March 19, 2015, the Massachusetts Appeals Court rendered Ventrice v. Ventrice, No. 13-P-1992 slip. op. (Ma.Ct.App. March 19, 2015). The Ventrice case was a highly contested divorce case that resulted in trial. After trial, the judge entered a judgment of divorce awarding the Mother custody over t…

With over forty-five number one hits on the Billboard Chart, Madonna has more than earned her nickname as the Queen of Pop. Yet despite her rampant success in the music industry, Madonna has faced numerous obstacles in the fight to gain custody of her son, Rocco, whom she shares with ex-husband Guy …